How to win over the entire team?
Probably the most important question when integrating international colleagues into the organization. New employees and their integration into the team are a routine situation in human resources management. However, if new colleagues are recruited from abroad, it is worth paying special attention to the team-building process. This allows misunderstandings and team conflicts to be addressed right from the start and the new situation to be used for team development and increasing employer attractiveness. Managers play a particularly important role in this process, so it is essential that they are prepared. Training courses on “intercultural communication” or “leading intercultural teams” can help here. However, transparent information sharing is also extremely important at all levels so that neither managers nor the existing team are confronted with the new task or new colleagues unprepared.
Consider the entire team
It is in the employer’s interest to ensure that internationally recruited employees feel comfortable so that they are likely to stay in their job for as long as possible. To this end, employers often come up with special ideas before and after the employee’s arrival or during the recognition process.
At the same time, existing employees will closely observe whether and to what extent they perceive unjustified unequal treatment compared to them or to nursing professionals recruited domestically. This does not necessarily have to manifest itself in suspicion towards the new employees, but it can promote dissatisfaction with the employer. It therefore makes sense for company management to develop a strategy that involves the entire team and is linked to an overall personnel strategy.
Include the host team
Whether an internationally recruited nurse wants to stay with their employer in the long term also depends on the acceptance and atmosphere within the host team.
It is therefore advisable to find a way that takes the host team into account and involves them appropriately. It should be made clear to employees that the international specialists are there to ease the workload—even if this initially involves a certain amount of extra effort to integrate them.
Of course, company management can make these decisions independently – but it is worth trying participatory approaches in order to take up ideas from the workforce and promote acceptance from the outset.
Examples of how to involve the host team include:
- the fundamental decision to recruit international nursing professionals within the company – and to bear the consequences together
- the selection of the recruitment method and preparations up to arrival and commencement of work
- support for the entire team during the first few months
- preparatory training and further education on diversity topics, such as “language-sensitive practical instruction,” “intercultural training,” and “anti-bias training.”
Preparation: do it yourself or use a service provider
Many international recruitment agencies also offer “team preparation” as part of their all-inclusive package. Their aim is to prevent classic onboarding problems in nursing teams and to sensitize the receiving teams in advance to possible differences and potential conflicts. In this way, they hope to promote understanding and a willingness to find solutions.
In principle, there is nothing wrong with this – but the content and format of such preparations are crucial. It is important to find out about this in advance and compare it with your own expectations.
Training, coaching and consultations in the intercultural sector
Not only recruitment agencies can offer support in the preparation of content in the context of the teambuilding process. You can also involve teachers in the further training and seminar industry. More and more freelance training providers are developing programmes for your needs in the intercultural training, coaching and consulting sector.
IKUD-accredited trainers are a well-known reference of intercultural competence. You can find an overview here.
You can find further information on these topics in the Welcome Culture & Integration Toolbox under
Training on intercultural competence
BGW “Intercultural Team – Care” training teaches skills for successful intercultural teamwork
The German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Health and Welfare Services (Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege, BGW) offers three one-day modules (“Basics of intercultural sensitisation”, “Arriving well in a new company”, “The path to an integration-friendly company”) to sensitise teams so that communication difficulties can be recognised in good time and avoided through targeted strategies. At the same time, the training helps to promote healthy and safe working conditions for all employees.
In addition, member companies of the BGW have the opportunity to be recognised and supported as an “integration-friendly company”. If required, the BGW can also advise you on the transfer of training content through to a comprehensive integration concept.
Strengthening intercultural skills in a targeted way
Recommendations of IMAP GmbH
The strengthening of the intercultural skills of employees is a central factor in achieving successful collaboration in many teams. But how do you actually recognise good quality intercultural training? (in German language)
The most important things for your to-do list
Meet on equal terms
Provide space and time for mutual education on different cultural and professional understandings and initiate dialogue as early as possible to foster understanding for different approaches.
The motto is: “Nothing about me without me!”
There are certainly ways in which new colleagues can talk about their backgrounds and professional training themselves. New teammates can address their questions directly here and engage in dialogue.
Observe quality standards
There is a recognized scientific standard for seminars and lectures on intercultural and transcultural topics. Therefore, pay attention to the training and expertise of the lecturer.
Practice self-reflection techniques as a team… and repeat this on a regular basis.
Never explain the “otherness” of newcomers
Lectures that generalize the culture, living conditions, and professional understanding of nursing professionals from abroad and contrast them with “ours” should be avoided, as this leads to rigid comparisons and promotes cultural stereotyping.
Critically review your strategy:
What strategies does your company pursue for recruiting and retaining staff? How does this relate to the international recruitment of nursing professionals?
How do you involve the host team in the process of international recruitment and onboarding?
How do you facilitate the team-building process?
Clarify which care teams you want to recruit new employees from abroad for—talk to the managers and, if necessary, gauge the mood of the team.
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